HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

He could pass off for any other young Kannadiga boy on the block. But he is the one who represents the new symbol of hope in the current generation of politicians from south India. Earlier this year when he stood for elections contesting as a Congress candidate, this 30 something young man shot to fame overnight. Krishna Byre Gowda is neither a fiery ideologue nor a gun-toting revolutionary. He was handpicked by none other than Rahul Gandhi as a member of his team.

In his small apartment in Yalahanka, Krishna and his wife Meenakshi discuss everything but politics. A large framed abstract of Koloman Moser takes the centre space of their living room walls. ?This is something we both liked while travelling in Austria. So we picked it up instantly,? says Krishna. His entry into politics as an elected legislative member happened after the sudden death of his father, C. Byre Gowda who was not only a respected politician but also a rare one who contributed immensely to the development of society. After his PUC from the National College at Basavangudi, he went on to get a Bachelor?s degree in Management from Christ College. After that Krishna went to the American University in Washington to pursue his Masters in Development at the School of International Service. ?Student life was very different. We had time to do everything. I am not the same person now,? he says. From the books on the book-shelf one can see he has a passion for reading. There?s Aravind Adiga and Kuvempu, Michel Foucault and Edward Said. ?I love reading. It?s my passion. At least I make an attempt to understand what the writer is saying. Right now, I am going through the works of that visionary, Ram Manohar Lohiya.?

NOT A TYPICAL NETA

While at university in the States he met Meenakshi Sheshadri who was to become his wife and take an active role as a progressive woman entrepreneur in her own right. Both of them live a contemporary lifestyle and barely subscribe to the stereotyped norms of what a minister must do and be like. ?I have seen the rough side of politics at a very young age and I have grown up politically and socially conscious enough to know how to manage myself,? he says. Like many younger generation politicians like Rahul Gandhi and Sachin Pilot, Krishna is a workaholic. ?My day starts at 7. After a quick breakfast I set out for my constituency to inspect each and every ward.

There are so many problems bogging them down and there is no one to reach out to them. I take it as my responsibility to find out their needs and help them find solutions to their problems. Once that is done, I have to get back to my office to look into more grievances before I head home to a light lunch and a nap.? Meenakshi interrupts wryly,?Sometimes I barely see him for the whole day and lunch could be anything between noon and night,?

Being an able politician and gaining the trust of lakhs of people around him in a very short span, Krishna is looked up to as an achiever not just amongst the aam junta but also his party workers and colleagues. ?There are plenty of things that frustrate me about the way our society is going and our country is progressing. We don?t have a culture of taking responsibility. We are busy with the blame game and shrugging off our work. I try to convert the same frustration into a driving force and a positive energy to keep my work going,? he says. ?It?s good ideas and a positive change that drive me. I believe a lot is possible if we all bring our strengths together.?

Krishna is not in the least a ?brown sahib? as someone in the press labelled him because of his good academic grounding. Away from public gaze, he is soft-spoken and reserved, often living in his own world. He enjoys everything from John Coltrane to Ustad Bismillah Khan Saab and has an extensive collection of CDs and DVDs.

A film buff, he enjoys world cinema and especially the films of Tarantino and Brando. Ask him who his favourite actors are and he says, ?Uma Thurman and Scarlett Johannsen. I saw Anurag Kashyap?s Gulaal and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra?s Delhi 6 and liked them.? ?Don?t forget Star Trek!? says Meenakshi. ?And I love listening to Carnatic classical music and Buddhist chants.?

HO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

With tastes like this where popular culture is concerned, perhaps he prefers western food. ?I am the typical ragi mudde boy and a proud Kannadiga. For me that is comfort food. In fact, now that you talk of food, let me tell you how passionate I am about it. I love everything and anything my wife makes. She is a brilliant cook,? he exclaims. ?We were travelling in Morocco and he couldn?t stop drinking the coffee they sold on the road side,? says Meenakshi. Krishna grins. ?Well, truth to tell, I enjoy every type of cuisine?Himatashi which is a very simple and healthy stew made of chillies, potatoes, yak cheese and onions; tandooris and other Indian food, I enjoy each and every thing. Oh wait! Did I tell you how much I love extra virgin olive oil? I could finish bottles of it in no time!?

In the last elections as everyone observed, Krishna was hardly the new generation politician who was ready to be seduced by power or name. The issues he chose like the city?s greenery, urban development and women empowerment unleashed his potential as a promising statesman in the making. His management techniques combined with a strong political will have shown how to turn around a floundering society.

He is well-educated, well-travelled and understands the hopes of millions of youngsters. If things go his way, Krishna Byre Gowda might just be Karnataka?s greatest hope in a very long time.